


New Beginnings

by Book_addict_89



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cute Teddy Lupin, Fatherhood, First Day of School, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Help, Hogwarts, M/M, Minor Character Death, Nursery, Past Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, School, Single Parents, Uncle Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 06:38:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17637686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_addict_89/pseuds/Book_addict_89
Summary: After the war, Harry did the unthinkable. He gave up the open offer to join the DMLE and instead opened his own magical nursery school.With his two young sons, James and Albus, Harry has everything he’s ever wanted - a family of his own.Draco Malfoy on the other hand had just received the biggest shock of his life. He was a father.And a father to a two year old at that! One day he was going about his life as normal and then there was a knock on the door and a woman was handing over this toddler.Unsure what to do Draco signs Scorpius up to New Beginnings a magical nursery school and meets a familiar face.A face that has gotten more handsome over the last ten years.Draco begins to count on Potter’s help and soon they aren’t just doing things for the sake of their sons but for that fluttery feeling they both seem to get whenever they are around each other.





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve had this on my phone for a while and finally thought “sod it” I’m going to post it! Enjoy!!
> 
> I'll try and update this as often as I can, but life is pretty hectic...

Life since the end of the war, had been some what life changing for Harry Potter. In the ten years that had passed the Wizarding World had come together to heal and repair after Voldemort’s reign of terror. Shops and buildings were repaired and rebuilt, Hogwarts was restored and opened again in the September. But most importantly to Harry, he found himself. He realised his love for Ginny was the same kind of love he had for Hermione or Ron, that of a sibling and in fact it was men he was more attracted to. 

When it came to work, he decided that he’d fought enough in his young years and turned down the open place to join the Aurors Office, something Ron had happily taken up and was totally kicking arse at! As for Hermione she’d gone back to school, graduated as Head Girl and was now tackling the Ministry of Magic. As for Harry, the first few years he stayed home helping to raise his godson, Teddy Lupin. It was during that time, he discovered his love of being around babies and children. Fast forward eight years and Harry now ran his own magical nursery. 

He started with just Teddy and a couple of Weasley grandchildren and looked after them at his new house in a small wizarding village in one of the Home Counties. A house he could finally call home. Six months later, word had spread and there was a wait list for parents wanting Harry to look after their children. Within a year, Harry had purchased a purpose built nursery and taken on staff to help with the care. Saving the world was one thing but his nursery was his legacy, something he was truly proud of. The nursery now had close to fifty children enrolled, from the ages of three months to four years. Exploring and discovery was Harry’s main ethos of the nursery. 

Now almost ten years on, Harry found it hard to believe that some of the first babies he looked after would be starting Hogwarts this Autumn, Teddy included. Harry had his head deeply buried in the sand when it came to how grown up Teddy was getting. Teddy on the other hand was very ready to go to Hogwarts in September. Harry, not so much.

Just over two years ago, Harry had decided that while he loved looking after other peoples children he wanted his own. Hermione having a pregnancy scare might have been the catalyst to Harry’s realisation, but it happened either way. 

There was just a slight flaw in his plan. One, he was single and no where near ready to start a family with someone and two, he was gay. Even in the wizarding world gay men are unable to have babies on their own, carry one, yes. Make one, no. 

One drunken night had him spilling his guts to the gang (Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville) and the following week Ginny popped over and made Harry the offer of a lifetime. While She didn’t want to carry a baby and said she would sign over complete parental consent; she was happy to just be Auntie Ginny. So she gave Harry the next best thing. Her eggs. James Sirius Potter was born late October and Harry was head over heels in love with his tiny son. James was all dark hair and dark eyes. He was the spitting image of the man he was called after. 

Some would say Harry was a glutton for punishment, because as James’s second birthday approached he decided that he was ready to add to his family again. Once more using an egg from Ginny, Harry went about adding to his family. Albus Severus Potter made his arrival into the world only seven months later. His early arrival scared everybody, especially Harry but after a few weeks in hospital he was allowed home and continued to thrive. He was Harry’s double, only minus his lightning bolt scar. 

Now aged two Albie’s personality was quickly developing. He was so different from James. Where James loved being centre of attention, Albie preferred to stay by Harry’s side. At the weekly family dinner at Molly and Arthur’s James will happily bounce from person to person, where Albie will stay with Harry or Molly only. George has started calling him Harry’s little shadow. There was nothing wrong with how Albie behaved, he was just more introverted than his brother. He was just more cautious than James. If anything, Harry was a little relieved that Albie wasn’t like James. Having two under five was tiring, but two under five who were constantly getting into mischief would have been exhausting. 

The advantage of running your own daycare service is that Harry could take James and Albus to work with him and know that they would be both having fun and happy to be there. Today however Harry found himself running late to show a perspective parent around the nursery. The morning had been running smoothly, both boys were up and dressed and eating breakfast under Kreacher, Harry’s elderly House Elf’s watch. This gave Harry ten minutes to shower and get himself ready. Only two minutes into his shower and he was interrupted by Kreacher holding a crying Albie’s hand. “Kreacher sorry to be interrupting Master Harry’s shower, but young master Albus spilled his milk over himself and needs a wash. Kreacher can’t get rid of the smell of spilled milk.” 

Stepping out of the cubicle Harry scooped up his son and the elf vanished with a crack hopefully back to the kitchen and his eldest. “What happened little guy? You don’t need to cry.” He soothed starting to undress Albie. Big watery green eyes blinked back at him. 

“ ‘ames made my milk falled over.” He sobbed between shakey breaths. 

“Okay sweetheart, Daddy will talk to James later. Right now we need to get washed and ready. Daddy needs to be at work in -“ Harry glanced at his watch on the side, “in ten minutes.” 

After the quickest shower known to man, Harry dressed himself and redressed Albie in clean clothes and headed downstairs to get James. Harry only had to step into the kitchen to see the guilt written all over James’s face. 

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly over a pouted bottom lip. “I was just trying to make Al laugh and I knocked the glass. I didn’t mean to.” Tears threatened to spill over dark lashes. 

Harry ran his hand over James’s dark hair ruffling the ends. “It’s okay. It was an accident. There’s no need to get upset. Are you finished eating?” James nodded. “Let’s make a move then.” Harry looked at the full bowl of cereal in front of Albie’s abandoned place at the table, they didn’t have time to finish it now, Harry would sort Albie out with some more once they were at the nursery. With Albus on his hip and James’s hand in his own the trio stepped into the fireplace and headed off to the nursery. 

***

To say that his life had been flipped upside was an understatement. One moment he’d been living the life of Riley, single, no commitments other than running his own potion company and the next he’d been handed over a crying toddler supposedly named Scorpius, by some ministry official informing him that the child was his and he was now his legal guardian after the boy’s mother had died. He’d had no idea the child even existed. It was typical though, the one and only time he’d had sex with a woman and she’d gone and fallen pregnant. At least he had a sensible name and there was no doubt that the child was his, it was like looking at a miniature version of himself.

Draco Malfoy knew many things, how to raise a child was not one of them. The ministry worker had given him a quick run through of the child’s needs, handed over a stack of parchments and left. He didn’t even have a house elf to help him anymore. Draco had sent an owl to his mother’s house in France only for the owl to return with the letter unanswered, he’d completely forgotten that she was off on one of her holidays cruising around the globe and she wasn’t back for another fortnight. 

 

The first twenty four hours had been tough, but somehow he had survived - and so had Scorpius at that rate. Draco had stayed awake late into the night researching how to raise a child and put together a list of things he needed to remember and do. Luckily amongst the paperwork had been a brochure for a magical nursery. Draco had sent them an owl first thing the next morning and received a reply almost instantly inviting him to come in and meet the owner first thing Monday morning. 

Thankfully the weekend passed quickly and uneventfully. Both Draco and Scorpius had survived. They arrived at the address for New Beginnings Preschool and were greeted by a young witch with bright blue hair at a desk, a ridiculous smile plastered across her face.

“Good morning and Welcome to New Beginnings. How can we help? I don’t recognise this little one so I’m going to guess you’re new.” She said in a soft sickly sweet tone. 

“I’m Draco Malfoy, I’m here to see the owner about enrolling my -“ 

Draco didn’t get to finish his sentence as the door behind the witch opened, “Sara can you let me know when the perspective parents arrive. I just need to get Albie here some breakfast.” 

Draco didn’t need to look up to recognise that voice there was only one person it could belong to. 

***

“He’s already here.” Sara smiled pulling a face at Albie making him smile. Looking up Harry couldn’t believe his eyes. Stood the other side of the desk was no one other than Draco Malfoy, and not just any Draco Malfoy, a smoking hot one at that, even if he did look a little tired around the edges. There attached to his hand was a small child, no older than Albie if he had to guess, but every ounce a Malfoy. 

“Mr Malfoy, this here is Harry the owner. Oh wait you already know each other don’t you?” 

Draco felt his cheeks colour slightly.

“You could say that.” Harry said smiling at the blonde man, running a hand through his messy dark hair. 

Harry came out from around the desk and Draco got a look for the first time at the person attached to his hand. He was Potter’s double, there was no doubt who his father was. Same messy dark hair, same radiant green eyes. Albie was Potter’s son. 

“So who’s this little guy?” Harry asked crouching down in front of Scorpius and pulled a galleon from behind his ear. How and why baffled Draco.

Scorpius had been quiet since he’d been dropped off and he hadn’t seen him smile but the smile he was giving Potter now was breathtaking. There was a look of awe in his eyes and he’s mouth popped open. “Wow!” He whispered. 

“This is Scorpius.” Draco said more curtly than he’d like. 

“Well Scorpius it is lovely to meet you. I’m Harry and this here is Albie. He’s my little boy. He’s two. How old are you? Do you know?”

“Two.” The mini blonde whispered.

“But you look so grown up. I would have said at least three, maybe even four.” 

Scorpius giggled at Harry. “You’re silly.” 

Harry looked up and caught Draco’s eye before grinning at him like a fool. “I’ll give you a tour of the place and then answer any questions you have, but I just need to get Albie some breakfast first. There was a mishap at breakfast this morning and he didn’t get to finish his.”  
“That’s fine. Lead the way.” Part of Draco was glad to hear that even the great Harry Potter doesn’t get everything right. 

They started their tour in what Harry called the Dining Hall. There was a large kitchen to one end of the room and rows of tables with benches in the rest of the room. It reminded him a little of the Great Hall at Hogwarts only here the walls were painted in bright colours and covered in photographs and artwork made by children. Once there, Potter stepped into the kitchen and made his son, Albie something to eat. Of course he’d asked if Scorpius had wanted some toast too. Draco had been glad when he nodded. He’d not really eaten anything this morning. With the boys sat down Draco moved to look at some of the photos on the wall. He was surprised by the number of them that included Potter doing various activities with the children. Clearly he must like kids, no one runs a nursery and is surrounded by them if they didn’t, but a part of Draco had just presumed that Potter would have gone on to be an Auror, to continue the fight. A hand on his arm made him jump out of his skin. 

“Merlin’s beard Potter!”  
“Sorry. I did call out but you didn’t hear me. Coffee?” He’d have the dark bitter liquid intravenously if he could, especially these last few days as he hadn’t slept.  
“Oh right. Please.”  
Potter reappeared a few moments later handing over a steaming mug of coffee. Draco took a sip and noted that Potter had made it just how he liked, black with half a spoon of sugar, barely there but just enough to taste. Potter hadn’t even asked how he liked it, he must have guessed. Draco went back to looking at the photos, his eyes drawn to a picture of Harry and his three doppelgängers stood in front of a Christmas tree wearing hideous matching jumpers. “You didn’t waste anytime having kids did you potter?” 

Harry looked over at the picture Draco was pointing at and smiled. “Only two are technically mine, Albie and James. Teddy is my godson. Well actually he’s your cousin too.”  
“He looks so much like Albie and James though. He’s practically your double. Wait he’s my cousin? How?”  
“Teddy’s parents are Remus Lupin and Tonks. So technically he’s your second cousin. As for looking like me that’s because he’s a Metamorphmagus. He learnt early on how to manipulate his appearance.”  
“I never knew. How old is he?”  
“He starts Hogwarts this September. I can’t believe he’s old enough to go. But enough about me, what about you? Is Scorpius your only child?”  
“He is.”  
“Could your wife not attend today? It’s not often we have lone fathers come in and see the place.”

 

Draco could tell Potter was prying but it didn’t stop him offering the information in return. Truth be told it was quite nice to have someone to talk to. Even if it was Potter. “I’m not married. Least of all to a woman. The truth is up until Friday afternoon I didn’t even know he existed. His mother didn’t feel the need to tell me that I had a child. A ministry worker turned up at my flat with a crying toddler, told me his mother had died and that I was now his guardian.” Draco watched Potter’s mouth drop open.  
“That’s unbelievable. How are you coping? You look like you’re doing well. You’re both in one piece at least.”  
“Jeez thanks Potter. What about you? Who did you end up shacking up with? Which poor unfortunate soul has given up her life to become the wife of The Chosen One.”  
“God, no one. The thought of being married to a woman makes me feel ill. James and Albie do share the same mother only they know her as Auntie Ginny.”  
“As in Weasley?”  
“The very same. She donated her eggs and I carried them.”  
“Wow Potter, I’d never have believed it, if it hadn’t come out of your mouth.” 

Harry laughed.  
“What’s so funny?”  
“This.” Potter indicated between the two of them. “We’ve managed to have a proper grown up conversation without hexing each other or insulting one another.”  
Draco tried to hide his own smile, “Don’t get too used to it Potter, you’re the only adult I’ve had a conversation with all weekend. Scorpius isn’t much of a talker. He’s not much of anything. Is that normal?” Draco ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m so far out of my comfort zone, I don’t know what I’m doing.”

 

Harry watched Malfoy carefully as the blonde toyed with his hair, he suddenly looked much older than his twenty eight years. Being a single parent was hard but Harry had known what he was signing up for and from the sound of it Malfoy didn’t. “Well you’ve made a good start by coming here. Let me show you around and then we can worry about home.” Harry looked over at the boys to find them quietly talking. “Are you two finished your toast?” They both nodded. “Right come on then, Albie you can lead the way, where should we start?”  
“The library.” He said softly.  
“Are you sure he’s yours?” Malfoy teased as they joined the boys.  
“I read!” Harry replied sticking his tongue out at Malfoy causing the boys to giggle.  
Malfoy held his hands up. “Okay, okay I take it back. Do we need to tidy this up?”

Harry gave a wave of his hands and the plates vanished and a cloth appeared and began to wipe the table. He looked up to see Malfoy starring.  
“You are such a show off. Not enough to save the world but to have mastered wandless magic too.” It was only his smile that reassured him that Malfoy was just teasing him. He liked this new Malfoy. 

“You know if we are going to be seeing more of each other we should probably start calling each other by our first names.” Harry said as they headed out of the room.  
“Very well, Harry.”  
“Follow me, Draco.” Both men smiled to themselves when the other wasn’t looking. Both aware of the flutter in their stomachs when the other said their name. 

*** 

A week after Scorpius arrived and Draco could just about remember what his life was like before he’d arrived. Potter had been a big help in offering advice on being a single parent. His first tip was to ask for help, ‘You can’t do this alone’. So that’s what Draco did. He asked Potter to help. 

In the space of a week he’d enrolled Scorpius at the nursery, placed an advert for a manager to help run his potion shop and converted the spare room into Scorpius‘s own bedroom. That Monday after the tour Potter had convinced him to leave Scorpius with Albie at the nursery while they went shopping for essentials. It had taken hours to get everything he needed to make his home suitable for a toddler and put a sizeable dent in his Gringots vault. But the look on Scorpius’s face when they arrived home and Draco had shown him his room filled with toys and books and a child sized bed made it worth it. The moment the quite boy threw his arms around Draco in a tight hug and whispered the words thank you, made a lump form in his throat. 

Scorpius and Albie had according to Potter become inseparable at nursery. So much so that Scorpius was spending Saturday morning at Potter’s. Potter had given him access to his floo and they were just about to step into the fireplace when Draco stopped and crouched down to be eye height with his son. “You can come home whenever you want. You just tell Albie’s dad and he’ll let me know. Okay?” Blonde hair nodded. A week later and Scorpius still wasn’t very chatty, at least not with him anyway. 

***

“Will Scorpius be here soon?” Albie asked for the hundredth time this morning. Harry soothed a strand of his son’s messy hair behind his ear.  
“Yes, soon. Why don’t you go and play while you wait for him?” Albie thought about it before toddling off to the pile of his toys in the lounge. 

Harry looked around the room wanting to check that it looked okay for when Malfoy arrived. He didn’t want it too look like he was trying too hard. He wanted Draco to like his house, why he wasn’t sure. Either way he didn’t have time to think as the fireplace roared into life and out stepped Draco and Scorpius.


End file.
